Qigong: Acute affective responsesin a group of regular exercisers

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2009 issn 1654-7535 isbn 978-91-7668-665-2

Mattias Johansson is a researcher in Sport Science at the School of Health and Medical Sciences at Örebro University. He has a B. A. in Psychology, and completed his studies in the Health Promotion Program in 2000. Mattias teaches in Sport Science and Public Health. His research interests are in the areas of exercise psychology, health promotion, and mind-body therapies.

Qigong is a Chinese mind-body therapy that includes slow gentle movements, relaxation, meditation, and natural breathing, and has gained in popularity in recent years. Previous research has shown that regularly performed Qigong exercise may enhance health and well-being in different populations. The present thesis is, however, focused on the acute affective responses associated with Qigong in groups of regular Qigong exercisers; results indicate that a Qigong session is associated with improved mood states and reduced anxiety. These effects were partially greater than in a control condition, and were independent of length of session (30 and 60 minutes). Affective benefits were visible after 10–20 minutes and continued to increase until the end of the session. For the majority of exercisers, performing Qigong is associated with a positive emotional state, even during the session. The affective experience of Qigong is pleasant, and includes energizing and relaxing characteristics. The present thesis contributes to a greater understanding of the Qigong-affect relationship. For those who are unable to engage in higher intensity physical activity, Qigong may serve as a viable means for increasing positive affect.